Air Seal Attic Plane
Air seal drywall to top plates at all attic wall interfaces to minimize air leakage.
Air seal attic plane. Scope air seal drywall to top plates at all attic wall interfaces to minimize air leakage. Pray that the installer used finish nails and not say ring shank nails. This article is an attempt to provide that missing overview. Carefully pull down the finish trim.
I ll try to explain how you can seal air leaks in a conventional vented unconditioned attic. For larger holes filler material may be needed. Equally important is the need to air seal the attic plane after the vermiculite is removed and before the new insulation is blown in. Air seal the trim the first step is air sealing the finish trim and enclosure around the attic hatch.
Typically the ceiling is not a single horizontal plane but a series of horizontal planes vertical planes knee walls and sloped planes all intersecting to create the ceiling. Although many gba articles address aspects of attic air sealing no single article provides an overview of the topic. Seal fireplace and furnace holes. Install drywall then seal the seam from the attic side with caulk foam or drywall adhesive but not other construction adhesives.
It s easy to overlook electrical wires ducts pipes and vents in the attic but the openings around these are holes can compromise the air sealing of your attic. Combined with attic insulation air sealing can help to alleviate the formation of dangerous ice dams in the winter. The air barrier used to isolate the living space from the attic is usually the taped drywall while the thermal barrier is the insulation placed on top of the drywall. How to insulate and air seal an attic access hatch.
Seal attic floor holes. Air sealing vented attic in new construction during an energy audit of my home the auditor suggested to create a good attic plane seal by removing all of the existing insulation put down a 1 2 layer of spray foam insulation and go back with blow in insulation to the preferred r value. By air sealing in your attic you can stop many major air leaks and help to maintain the desired temperature throughout your home. The attic is usually where you can find some of the largest opportunities to save energy in your home.